New Jersey girls among 3 kids found stabbed to death in Maryland home

CLINTON, Maryland (WABC) -- Two young sisters from New Jersey were among three children under 10 years old who were found fatally stabbed inside a home in Clinton, a Maryland suburb of Washington, D.C.

Now, a relative is charged with their murders.

The victims were identified by police as 9-year-old Ariana Decree and 6-year-old Ajayah Decree -- of Newark, New Jersey -- and 6-year-old Nadira Withers, who is the sister of the suspect, identified as 25-year-old Antonio Williams. The Decree sisters were visiting relatives at the time of the incident.

Police said Nadira's mother found the dead children - all with stab punctures and lacerations to their bodies - on a bed inside the home.

"The preliminary investigation reveals Williams had sole care and custody of the children at the home overnight into Friday," police said in a news release. "He has confessed to killing the victims."

Williams has been charged with three counts of murder, authorities said. He was being held without bail.

Prince George's County Deputy Chief Sammy Patel on Friday called the slayings "one of the most difficult scenes" that the department's officers have encountered, and said the department will provide counseling services to responding officers.